of albany



h ,wise colored to form the pips or dots.

. ple, a separate Reissued Oct. 16, 1928.

*YUNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOM C. GBLEAM, 0F ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE EMBOSSTNG COMPANY,

OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, A C

ORPOBATION OF NEW YORK.

DOMINO AND ART OF MAKING THE SAME.

Original No. 1,675,891, dated July 3, 1928, Serial No. 147 234, filed November 9. 1926. Application for reissue flied August 28, 1928. Serial No. 302,621.

In the manufacture of dominoes by the method most commonly in use the domino is formed by die-pressing a wooden blank, the die which shapesthe face being provided with one or more raised portions which produce a corresponding number of depressions or recesses in the face of theblank, which depressions are afterwards painted or other- In'the method referred to, which has beenin use for years without change in princiface-die is required for each domino denomination, so that for a set in svhich the denominations range from double blank to double six, twentyeight different diesare needed. while for the popular double-nine set no less than fifty-five dies are necessary. The same applies to molds for nearly sixty making dominoes by molding a plastic composition, as many diflerent molds being needed as there are diiferent denominations in the set. It is easily seen that the dies or molds are subject to deteriorationv in use, chiefly by reason of wear. Hence they must be replaced from time to time, and at 'sub stant-ial' expense, since dies and molds of the quality and accuracy required are costly.

According to my present invention as carried out in the preferred way, only asingle die or mold is needed for an entire set. This single die is constructed with at least as many pip-forming portions or recesses as the number of pips requiredfor a domino of high denomination, so that all the dominoes will have recessed pip-areas in excess of the numbers needed for lowerv denominations. The pip-areas arealso shaped and arranged to produce an ornamental or pleasing design on the face of the domino. Having formedv the dominoes, each with the maximum number of recessed pip-areas, otherwise colored to form the different denominations. For example,foraset offdouhle-six, which requires twentyeight dom noes, one is left with all its pip-areasuncolored. This is the double-blank. On another a single area is colored, on one end of the domino, to make the blank-one. On another, two areas are colored, to make the blank-two, and so on with the entire set, the

, double-six being formed by coloring all twelve pip-areas.

the latter are painted or with seven pip-areas colored, making a threefour.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating diagrammatically a convenient method of shaping wooden dominoes.

In the dominoes illustrated, the pip-areas, as 10, are square, or, in general, polygonal, and are separated from each other by ribs 11. Stated otherwise, the pip-areas and the intervening spaces are at different elevations. The dominoes shown are also bounded by marginal ribs 12, and the two halves are separated by a transverse rib 13. In the case of square pip-recesses they are preferably arranged with their diagonals vertical and horizontal, that is, parallel to the ends and sides of the block. The blocks shown have thirteen pip-areas in each half, and hence can be used to make a double-thirteen set or a lesser number, as for example double-six or double-nine, by coloring the appropriate pip-areas, the areas for coloring being preferably those which are symmetrically located with respect to the vertical or horizontal-center line of the half containing such spaces. For example, in Fig. Zthe colored areas 14, 15, 16 in the upper half are symmetrical with res ect to both center lines or axes, as are also t e tour colored areas in the lower half. It will be understood, however, that any other arrangement, symmetrical or unsymmetrical, can be used if desired. Usually, however, it is better to adopt arrangements which are not only symmetrical but also sharply distinctive. A more or less diamond-shape contour, square -or rhomboidal, for the pip-areas is also desirable, as affording a pleasing appearance number would be much less readily seen.

The color or colors used for the recessed pip-areas should 'be contrastive with respect to the other portions of the domino, especially the ribs or other intervening spaces. Preferably the block is black or some other dark coior to mask the soiling incident to handling, and the pips are white, but for convenience the dominoes illustrated are shown as being white with black pips.

The dominoes are preferably made of dry hard wood with the grain perpendicular to i the face, the block being powerfully compressed to increase the density of the wood, impart a smooth polishedfinish, and form the recessed pipareas and intervening spaces. These operations can be conveniently performed by any suitable means, as for example the dies illustrated diagrammatically in Fig; 3. The block 19, cut somewhatlarger than the finished domino is to be, is placed in the flaring top of the tubular die 20. It is then pushed down into the die by the plunger die 21, which also presses it against the lower die 22. The end of one of the dies 21 22 is shaped to form pip-recesses of the desired shape and arrangement and the end of the other may have an ornamental pattern, so that the two faces of the domino are correspondingly embossed.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details herein specifically described, since these may be varied within the spirit of the invention defined by the ap-- pended claims.

I claim:

1. In the art of making dominoes, the improvement comprising shaping the dominoes and providing each with pip-areas in numbers suitable for dominoes of high denominations and separated from each other by intervening spaces of the same color as but difi'erent elevation from the pip-areas themselves,

and coloring different numbers of pip-areas on the several dominoes contrastively to the other pip-areas to provide the desired denominations, dominoes of lower denominations being left with one or more pip-areas of the.

same color as the intervening spaces.

2. In the art of making dominoes, the improvement comprising shaping the dominoes and forming the face of each with ribs providing recessed areasof lower elevation bounded and separated by the ribs but of the same color as the latter and in number equal to the number of high denomination, and coloring different numbers of areas on the several dominoes contrastively to the other pip-areas to provide the pips for the desired denominations, leaving excess areas-with the same color as the ribs.

-the number of of pips required for a domino 9 nature.

3. In the art of making dominoes, the

provement comprising shaping the dominoes and forming the face of each with ribs forming an ornamental symmetrical pattern providing recessed areas of lower elevation of the same color as the ribs and bounded and separated by the ribs and in number equal to pips required for a domino of high denomination. and coloring different numbers of such areas on the several dominoes contrastively to the other area to provide the pips for the desired denominations, leaving the excess areas with the same color as the ribs.

4. In the art of making dominoes, the improvement comprising shaping the dominoes and forming the face of each with ribs intersecting at right angles to provide right-angled areas of lower rated by the ribs and in number equal to the number of pips required for a domino of high denomination, and coloring difierent numbers of areas on the several dominoes to provide the pips for the desired denominations, leaving the excess areas uncolored.

5. In the art of making dominoes, the improvement comprising shaping the dominoes and providing each with polygonal pip-areas dominoes of high denomination, bounded and separated from each other by intervening spaces of the same color, the areas of different dominoes being distinctively colored in elevation bounded and sepadifferent numbers to form pips of differentdenominational numbers, each domino of lower denomination having one or more pipareas of the same color as the intervening spaces.

. 7. A set of dominoes each having on its face ribs defining intermediate areas of lower elevation separated by the ribs and in number equal to the number of pips of a domino of high denomination, difierent numbers of such areas being distinctively colored on the several dominoes to form the difl'erent denominations and the other areas'being of the same color as the ribs.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my sig- TOM o. GRAHAM. 

